Fast Food Nation Essay Example for Free

Fast Food Nation Essay The idea of â€Å"fast food† has been around since before the 1920s. However, the real emergence of the industry was not until the late 1940s following the Second World War. Military based towns were desolate during the war. Once the war was over, there were many more mouths to feed and more places to put restaurant franchises. This coupled with the passing of Eisenhower’s Interstate Highway Act and the sheer drive of fast food pioneers allowed franchising to be very successful. People were able to take their new cars on the highway and take convenient off-ramps to â€Å"speedee service† restaurants (Schlosser, 20). Ray Kroc, founder of the McDonald’s corporation, has created a revolutionary franchise that has become a household name all over the world. There are many theories on how this and other fast food corporations reached such success. One of the major reasons is the strategic segmentation of the human race; groups of people have been targeted as prime consumers of fast food. To consume, by definition, is to purchase goods for one’s own desires. The fast food industry has become just that, a desire to people of all statuses in society. In Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation, the impact that the fast food industry has on children, parents and the foreign population as consumers is arguably detrimental in its use for economic success. The fast food industry targets many demographic groups in our society. Children are subjected to the billion dollar advertising campaigns that fast food restaurants create. Kids are enticed to purchase fast food before they can even earn money. This is where the industry makes their killing; by advertising to young children, parents are pressured to buy goods from the fast food restaurants. It’s not just getting kids to whine. It’s about giving them a specific reason to ask for the product† (Schlosser, 43). Although it is not the children specifically giving the cashier money for products, they have the tremendous power of leverage with their parents. Starting with a broad look: the restaurants themselves often times have a play area for children, McDonald’s being most notable for this. They create characters, such as Ronald McDonald and friends, to make kids feel like they are in a fun house or that the restaurant truly cares about each child. Taco bell’s chihuahua was a â€Å"cute† puppy for kids to love as well (Schlosser, 43). Kid’s meals in most fast food places are served with toys to play with. Fast food corporations began the process of synergy; they were signing with other major businesses to put popular toys in their meals. For example, Wendy’s signed with NCAA for action figures, McDonald’s signed with Ty for Beanie Babies and Pokemon cards (Schlosser, 47). When children found competition with other children to â€Å"get the next toy first,† there was a reason to come back to that restaurant. Even the color scheme on the packaging the meals come in is bright and exciting. Why would any child say no? The parents of these children and teens are also affected by the fast food industry. As previously mentioned, children pressure their parents to buy goods from fast food chains. Parents consume these goods for themselves but also represent their children, which makes up an entirely different consumer group. Fast food caters to those parents who are short on time, money or both. Parents who work long or unusual hours can count on a nearby fast food restaurant being open at all hours. Even when families are constantly on the move, a drive-thru is a quick and easier way to eat than making a meal at home or sitting down in a restaurant. In addition, parents who struggle with every penny they have can buy their family meals for a fraction of alternative options. McDonald’s company historian says, â€Å"Working-class families could now afford to feed their kids restaurant food† (Schlosser, 20). Parents want to give their children the best; being financially able to take them to restaurants is a value that could now easily be attained with the emergence of the fast-food industry. Fast food chains have expanded beyond American borders for potential growth. McDonalds alone has over seventeen thousand restaurants in over 120 countries globally. That number does not include KFC, Pizza Hut, Burger King or Domino’s Pizza. They all receive a majority of their profit through overseas markets. Fast food chains symbolize Western economies and therefore, seen as the channel to economic prosperity in countries that are struggling (Schlosser, 229). Natives of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and countless other nations literally lined up for hours outside of brand new fast food franchises to purchase American food (Schlosser, 230). The billionaire responsible for bringing McDonald’s to Japan went as far as saying that eating their hamburgers would make them white, blonde and taller in stature (Schlosser, 231). The campaign to Americanize the world is more overwhelming now with people in every corner of the globe spending their money on American fast food. The saying â€Å"you are what you eat† is heavily campaigned outside of the United States. People are consuming KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut and McDonald’s food in hopes to become more like Americans. After reading Fast Food Nation and analyzing this specific aspect of the fast food industry, I am able to form my own opinion. My first and foremost reaction to all of this is about health issues. There is a huge problem with feeding children food that is lacking in the nutrients necessary to grow and reach their highest potential in the future. Parents are feeding their children fast food but what were they [parents] fed as children? There was a lot more emphasis on home-cooked meals and the family sitting down for dinner every night back when today’s parents were growing up. Children are drinking sodas, eating processed hamburgers and other greasy foods without any previous knowledge to make that decision. They are not taught about nutrition and what they are really putting in their bodies before nagging their parents to get the latest toy in a happy meal, as an example. The most important years in a person’s life should be sustained with the best nutrients possible. I know that personally, my mother cooked a majority of my meals growing up and having fast food was a treat. Now I can make educated decisions on what foods to consume. I think that anything in moderation is acceptable; it is the families that get a different fast food meal four or five times a week that concern me. Along the same lines, parents are not setting the right examples for their children when they stop at the local drive-thru to grab dinner. There must be a balance between stimulating economies and sustaining healthy lives of all ages. In Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser describes children, parents and people living outside of American borders as targeted consumers by the fast-food industry. Kids are subjected to advertisements and several other ploys so that they will coerce their parents to buy them products from fast-food restaurants. Because they are such a large influence on the consumption of fast food, they are directly targeted as consumers. The parents are affected both indirectly and directly as consumers; they consume fast food for themselves and their children. Fast-food chains have made it convenient for parents who work atypical hours and those who cannot afford other meal options. With the success of the fast-food industry in America, corporations have moved their efforts to international patrons. Fast food has become a major symbol of Western living and is highly desirable to many foreign nations. The consumers’ love of fast food proves economic success, but does it show success in other aspects of human life? People have become so accustomed to purchasing fast-food meals that the entire standard of nutrition and healthy living has gone down; we truly are a fast food nation.

Disillusionment in Europe During the years 1914-1918 :: essays research papers

Analyze the spirit of promise that gave way to disillusionment in Europe during the years 1914-1918.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prior to the devastation of the first World War, a spirit of optimism and enthusiasm engulfed the minds of citizens across Europe. Relating the potential outcome of another war to the short, decisive, progressive wars in the nineteenth century, Europeans greeted the opportunity for war as a tool to cleanse the current ailments of Europe. The people, blinded by an overwhelming belief in progress and a developing sense of nationalism, failed to foresee that they were heading for disaster. World War I emanated from European leaders' aggression toward other countries, which was supported by the rising nationalism. Economic and imperial competition and fear of war prompted military alliances and an arms race, which further escalated the tension contributing to the outbreak of a war greatly exceeding the lethality of European expectation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A spirit of nationalism rang high in the atmosphere pre-world war Europe. Many were engrossed by potential benefits war could bring to their lives. Nationalism, however, was not a new idea; at the settlement of the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the principle of nationalism was ignored in favor of preserving the peace. Despite the settlement, the principle was rejuvenated by the onset of the World War. The ardent nationalists fussed in masses to champion the need for war. â€Å"Patriotic demonstrations had an intoxicating effect and excited the war-mongers to excess...† (Phillip Schneidemanan). Under false aspirations and expectations the naive soldiers marched off to war, unexpectant of the tragedies they would encounter.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In only a few short months, the soldiers realized how false their assumptions were. Nationalism presented itself as a misleading concept rendering the soldiers to a rude awakening. â€Å"Oh, God how those men looked, as they came nearer-- those utterly immobile faces under their steel helmets...† The illusion brought about by nationalist ideals encouraged war, and under false pretenses delivered the devastation of the war as a shock exceeding all expectations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The power of alliances also played a key role in the creation and devastation of World War I. Dating back to the time of Bismarck, most alliances formed for the sake of reassurance or to postpone the outbreak of a war. But as time passed, alliances greatly increased international tension by dividing Europe into two armed camps. â€Å"I felt strongly that England ought to remain neutral, and I collected the signatures of a large number of professors and fellows to a statement.

Rock “N” Rap

Homework 12 Rock ‘n’ Rap Gabriel Gonzalez Block: 4 It costs the company an average of $15,000 to produce a rock CD and an average of $12,000 to produce a rap CD. Also, it takes about 18 hours to produce a rock CD and about 25 hours to produce a rap CD. The company can afford to spend up to $150,000 on production next month. Also, the company will spend at least 175 hours on production. The company earns $20,000 in profit on each rock CD it produces and $30,000 in profit on each rap CD it produces. But the company recently promised its distributor that it would not release more rap music than rock. The company needs to decide how many of each type of CD to make. Note: It can make a fraction of a CD next month and finish it the next month after. Graph the feasible region. X- # of Rock CD’s; Y- # of Rap CD’s *Available Money: X15+Y12*175 18(0)+25y=175†¦. 25y=175†¦175/25=7=y, x=0 18x+25(0)=175†¦. 18x=175†¦175/18=9. 7=x, y=0 *X>*Y†¦(More Rock CD’s must be made than Rap CD’s) X=0, y0 a. Find at least three combinations of rock and rap CDs that would give the company a profit of $120,000, and mark these points in one color on your graph. The combinations do not have to be in the feasible region. ) Profit=x20,000+y30,000 x=6, y=0 x=0, y=4 x=3, y=2 b. In a different color, mark points on your graph that will earn $240,000 in profits. x=12, y=0 x=0, y=8 x=9, y=2 x=3, y=6 x=6, y=4 Find out how many CDs the company should make of each type next month to maximize its profit. It should make 5 and five ninths of each CD to maximize profit. I know this because this is the highest point in the feasible region. Explain how you found an answer to Question 3 and why you think your answer gives the maximum profit. I know this because this is the highest point in the feasible region. I it’s hard to tell exactly just by graphing so the problem must be solved algebraically. I know that the lines â€Å"x=y† and â€Å"15,000x+12,000y-150,000† intersect at the highest point of the feasible region. Because x is equal to y, both coordinates must be the same. I inserted 3 different coordinates for both x and y and got that the coordinates (5. 6,5. 6) will give me the greatest profit that is closest to 150,000. A Rock ‘n’ Rap Variation Suppose the conditions were the same as in homework 12 except that the profits were reversed. In other words, suppose the company made $30,000 profit on each rock CD and $20,000 profit on each rap CD. Profit: 30,000x+20,000y Would this change your advice to the company about how many CDs of each type to produce to maximize its profit? If so, how many of each type should the company make, and what would be the profit? Explain your answer. My answer would stay the same because x will still be equal to y, and the money available to spend won’t change. Since these are the only two lines that are taken into account, my advice would stay constant.

Black Men and the Criminal Justice System

Is the criminal justice system hopelessly rigged against black men, leading to a disproportionate amount of them ending up in prison? This question surfaced repeatedly after July 13, 2013, when a Florida jury acquitted neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman of the murder of Trayvon Martin. Zimmerman shot Martin after trailing him around a gated community because he viewed the black teen, who wasn’t involved in any wrongdoing, as suspicious. Whether black men are victims, perpetrators or simply going about their day, civil rights activists say they don’t get a fair shake in the U.S. legal system. Black men, for example, are more likely to receive stiffer sentences for their crimes, including the death penalty, than others do. They  are imprisoned at six times the rate of white men, according to the Washington Post. Nearly  1 in 12 black men  age  25-54 are incarcerated, compared to 1 in 60 nonblack men, 1 in 200 black women and 1 in 500 nonblack women, the New York Times reported.   In a number of the nation’s biggest cities, black men are more likely to be treated as criminals and  stopped and frisked by police  without cause than any other group. The statistics below, compiled largely by ThinkProgress, further illuminate the experiences of African American men in the criminal justice system. Black Minors at Risk The discrepancies in the punishments black and white offenders receive can even be found among minors. According to the National Council on Crime And Deliquency, black youth referred to juvenile court are likelier to be incarcerated or wind up in adult court or prison than white youth. Blacks make up roughly 30 percent of juvenile arrests and referrals to juvenile court as well as 37 percent of incarcerated juveniles, 35 percent of juveniles sent to criminal court and 58 percent of juveniles sent to adult prisons. The term â€Å"school to prison pipeline† was created to illustrate how the criminal justice system paves a pathway to prison for blacks when African Americans are still very young. The Sentencing Project has found that black males born in 2001 have a 32 percent chance of being incarcerated at some point. In contrast, white males born that year have only a six percent chance of winding up in prison. Disparities Between Black and White Drug Users While blacks make up 13 percent of the U.S. population and 14 percent of monthly drug users, they comprise 34 percent of individuals arrested for drug offenses and more than half (53 percent) of individuals imprisoned for drug-related offenses, according to the American Bar Association. In other words, black drug users are four times more likely to end up in prison than white drug users. Differences in the way the criminal justice system treats black drug offenders and white drug offenders became especially clear when sentencing laws required crack-cocaine users to receive much stiffer penalties than powder-cocaine users. That’s because, at the height of its popularity, crack-cocaine was most popular among blacks in the inner city, while powder-cocaine was most popular among whites. In 2010, Congress passed the Fair Sentencing Act, which helped to erase some of the sentencing disparities related to cocaine. A Quarter of Young Black Men Report Police Mistreatment Gallup interviewed roughly 4,400 adults from June 13 to July 5, 2013, for its Minority Rights and Relations poll about police interactions and racial profiling. Gallup found that 24 percent of black men between the ages of 18 and 34 felt they had been mistreated by police during the past month. Meanwhile, 22 percent of blacks from ages 35 to 54 felt the same and 11 percent of black males older than age 55 agreed. These numbers are significant given that many people have absolutely no dealings with police in a month-long period. The fact that the young black men polled had contact with police and roughly a quarter felt the authorities had mistreated them during these encounters indicates that racial profiling remains a serious issue for African Americans. Race and the Death Penalty A number of studies have shown that race influences the likelihood a defendant will receive the death penalty. In Harris County, Texas, for example, the District Attorney’s Office was more than three times as likely to pursue the death penalty against black defendants than their white counterparts, according to an analysis released in 2013 by University of Maryland criminology professor Ray Paternoster. There is also bias regarding the race of victims in death penalty cases. While blacks and whites suffer from homicides at about the same rate, the New York Times reports, 80 percent of those executed murdered white people. Such statistics make it easy to understand why African Americans in particular feel that they are not treated fairly by the authorities or in the courts.